Fabric stretcher device

ABSTRACT

A fabric stretcher device comprising an enlarged, generally rectangular base providing a top planar surface, a first pair of rails fixed relative to two adjoining side edges of said planar surface and a second pair of rails including adjustment means to adjustably position said second pair relative to the respective third and fourth edges of the planar surface. Upwardly struck barbs are provided in a closely spaced relation along the lengths of all four rails to engage through and position the perimeter portion of a piece of fabric to be stretched. The adjustment means are actuated to impart evenly distributed lateral and longitudinal tensioning forces to the fabric.

United States Patent [191 Gibby [451 Jul 29, 1975 1 1 FABRIC STRETCHERDEVICE Mabel K. Gibby, 4501 Granada Blvd, Coral Gables, Fla. 33146 [22]Filed: Sept. 20, 1974 [21] Appl. No; 507,719

[76] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl. 38/1025 [51] Int. Cl. 006C 3/08 [58] Field of Search38/102, 102.1, 102.3, 102.4,

3,785,072 1/1974 Meyer et a1 38/1025 Primary Examiner-Geo. V. Larkin[57] ABSTRACT A fabric stretcher device comprising an enlarged,generally rectangular base providing a top planar surface, a first pairof rails fixed relative to two adjoining side edges of said planarsurface and a second pair of rails including adjustment means toadjustably position said second pair relative to the respective thirdand fourth edges of the planar surface. Upwardly struck barbs areprovided in a closely spaced relation along the lengths of all fourrails to engage through and position the perimeter portion of a piece offabric to be stretched. The adjustment means are actuated to impartevenly distributed lateral and longitudinal tensioning forces to thefabric.

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED JUL 2 9 I975 S'rIEU FABRICSTRETCHER DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertainsto a fabric stretcher device and more particularly to an adjustablestretcher device which imparts both lateral and longitudinal tensionforces to pieces of generally rectangularly shaped fabrics within apredetermined range of sizes. The fabric may be applied to the device ineither a dampened or dry condition. While the stretcher device may beused for other stretching operations, one particular use is forstretching completed needlepoint works.

OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION One of the principal objects of thepresent invention is to provide a fabric stretcher device which isadapted to impart varying degrees of both lateral and longitudinaltension forces to generally rectangularly shaped pieces of fabric withina predetermined size range.

Another principal object of this invention is to provide a pair ofrails, fixed relative to two adjoining side edges of an enlargedgenerally rectangular planar base member and a second pair of rails,adjustably positioned relative to the other pair of adjoining side edgesthereof.

Yet another-object of the instant invention is to provide a plurality ofupwardly, outwardly struck barbs in a relatively closely spaced relationalong the lengths of the four rails.

A still further object of this invention is to provide individual,manually actuated adjustment and tensioning means for each of saidsecond pair of rails.

- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is atop plan view of thefabric stretcher device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top edge view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;and

FIG. 4 is a top view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating an extension meansfor the adjustment means, illustrated in FIG. 1, to accommodaterelatively small pieces of fabrics.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings, andparticularly to FIG. 1, the fabric stretcher device of the presentinvention is designated generally at and comprises a base member 12providing a planar top surface 14, a first pair of side rails 16 and 18fixed relative to a pair of adjoining side edge portions of the planarsurface 14 such as the left and bottom sides, illustrated in FIG. 1, anda second pair of rails 20 and 22, adjustable relative to the second pairof adjoining side edge portions, such as the top and right sides of FIG.1, by respective adjustment means 24 and 26.

The side rails 16 and 18 are fixed in place as by screws 28 and 30 and,as best illustrated in FIG. 3, are provided along their entire lengthswith one or two rows of upwardly, outwardly struck, relatively closelyspaced barbs, two rows being illustrated at 32 and 34. Generallyvertically, upwardly extending flanges 36 and 38 are provided along theouter edges of the rails 16 and I8.

Top rail 20 is constructed similar to rails 16 and 18, including therows of barbs 32 and 34, and an upstanding flange 40, however, it isslidably, adjustably positioned along the planar surface 14 by the firstadjustment means 24. Said first adjustment means comprises a pair ofelongated eye-bolts 42 and 44 removably linked at 46 and 48 to theflange 40 as at 56. The outer ends of links 46 and 48 are engagedthrough the eyes 58 and 60 of enlarged eye-bolts 42 and 44.

The threaded shanks 62 and 64 of the eye-bolts extend upwardly throughholes 66, FIG. 2, in an outwardly extending flange 68 of an angle iron69 fixed by screws 70 relative to the top edge of the planar surface 14.A plurality of variable lengths of top rails 20 would be supplied withthe stretcher device which are selectively used as determined by thepositioning of the adjustable right side rail 22 as will be subsequentlydescribed. The angle iron flange 68 provides a plurality of spaced apartholes 66 along its length for selective positioning of the eye-bolts 42and 44 relative to the length of the top rail 20 which is being used.Nuts 71 and 72 are threaded onto the outwardly extending ends of theshanks 62 and 64 and are preferably provided with actuating handle means74 and 76 for manipulating the nuts 71 and 72 relative to the outersurface of the angle-iron flange 68 to adjust the top rail 20 upwardlyor downwardly across the planar surface 14.

The right side rail 22 is similar in all respects to the other threerails and laterally spans the width of the planar surface 14 and isadjustable therealong by the adjustment means 26 which comprises a pairof assemblies 78 and 80, similar in all respects to the above describedeye-bolt adjustment assemblies for the top rail 22. As illustrated inFIG. 1, the adjustment assemblies 78 and 80 may be removably spacedrelative to the width of the adjusted spacing between the lower andupper rails 18 and 20 by means of a plurality of aligned holes 84 in anangle iron 86, fixed relative to the right end of the planar surface 14.Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the adjustment assemblies 78and 80 may be provided in fixed, spaced positions relative to the bottomand top edges of the planar surface 14.

In use, the upper and right end adjustment means 24 and 26 are actuatedto position the respective rails 20 and 22 to accommodate the size of apiece of fabric F to be stretched. The perimeter portions of the fabricpiece F are then engaged on the rows of barbs 32 and 34 on the fourrails l6, 18, 20 and 22, as seen in FIG. 3, after which the top andright side adjustment means 24 and 26 are actuated to apply a properdegree of lateral and longitudinal tension forces to the fabric piece F.After remaining in said tensioned condition for a predetermined periodof time, the fabric piece F is removed from the barbs 32 and 34 afterthe tensioning forces are released by proper actuation of the adjustmentmeans 24 and 26.

It should be noted that, alternatively, the top rail 20 may extendlongitudinally along the full length of the planar surface 14 and aplurality of various lengths of right end rails 22 may be provided tospan various adjusted spacings between the bottom and top rails 18 and20.

With reference to FIG. 4, a length of chain, generally indicated at 88may be adjustably linked between each single link such as 46 and 48 andrespective second links 50 and 52 which are, in turn, adjustably engagedwith the top rail flange 40 to increase the degree of adjustability ofboth the top rail 20 and the right end rail 22 without the necessity ofproviding overly long eyebolts 42 and 44. In this manner, lengths ofchain 88 are; provided for both adjustment means 24 and 26 to pro- Ivide sufficient degrees of longitudinal and lateral adjustment wherebygenerally rectangular pieces of fabrics F within the size range of thebase member 12 may be stretched on the device. Commercially availableeye-bolts 42 and 44 may therefore be utilized and the four rails 16, 18,and 22 may be lengths of a commercially available type which is commonlyused to anchor the perimeter of floor carpets in a room. The base member12 may be of a variety of materials such as plywood, fiberboard ormetal, for example. Alternatively, the base member 12 and the two fixedside rails 16 and 18 may be molded as a single unit.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable stretcher device for stretching a generally rectangularpiece of fabric comprising;

A. a generally rectangular base member providing,

1. a planar top surface;

B. a pair of side rails fixed in an angular relation rela tive to afirst pair of adjoining side edges of said planar top surface andincluding,

1. at least one row of relatively closely spaced barbs along the lengthsof both of said pair to engage through and hold corresponding, adjoiningedge portions of the piece of fabric to be stretched;

C. a third rail similar to said pair, to similarly engage and hold athird edge portion of the piece of fabric;

D, a first adjustment and tensioning means connecting between a thirdedge of said base member and said third rail to adjust said third railrelative to the first of said pair to conform with a first dimension ofthe fabric piece and to apply tension forces along the length of saidfirst dimension;

E. a fourth rail, similar to said pair and third rail, to similarlyengage and hold the fourth edge portion of the piece of fabric;

F. a second adjustment and tensioning means connecting between thefourth edge of said base member and said fourth rail to adjust saidfourth rail relative to the second of said pair to conform with a seconddimension of the fabric piece and to apply tension forces along thelength of said second dimension; I G. adjustable extension meansconnecting between said first and second adjustment and tensioning meansand the respective third and fourth rails. 2. The adjustable stretcherdevice as defined in claim 1 wherein said first adjustment andtensioning means comprises two spaced apart. elongated eye-bolts, eachhaving an inner end removably linked to said third rail and a screwthreaded outer end extending through a hole in an upwardly extendingflange of an angle-iron, fixed relative to said third edge, nut meansbeing carried on said screw threaded outer end to engage against theouter surface of said flange to adjust said third rail inwardly oroutwardly, relative to the first of said pair, upon proper manipulationof said nut.

3. The adjustable stretcher device as defined in claim 2 includingelongated handle means fixed to each of said nut means.

4. The adjustable stretcher device as defined in claim 2 including aplurality of spaced apart holes in said flange along the length thereof.

5. The adjustable stretcherdevice as defined in claim 2 including aplurality of spaced apart holes in said angleiron flange.

6. The adjustable stretcher device as, defined in claim 2 includingchain means removably and adjustably con-

1. An adjustable stretcher device for stretching a generally rectangularpiece of fabric comprising; A. a generally rectangular base memberproviding,
 1. a planar top surface; B. a pair of side rails fixed in anangular relation relative to a first pair of adjoining side edges ofsaid planar top surface and including,
 1. at least one row of relativelyclosely spaced barbs along the lengths of both of said pair to engagethrough and hold corresponding, adjoining edge portions of the piece offabric to be stretched; C. a third rail similar to said pair, tosimilarly engage and hold a third edge portion of the piece of fabric;D. a first adjustment and tensioning means connecting between a thirdedge of said base member and said third rail to adjust said third railrelative to the first of said pair to conform with a first dimension ofthe fabric piece and to apply tension forces along the length of saidfirst dimension; E. a fourth rail, similar to said pair and third rail,to similarly engage and hold the fourth edge portion of the piece offabric; F. a second adjustment and tensioning means connecting betweenthe fourth edge of said base member and said fourth rail to adjust saidfourth rail relative to the second of said pair to conform with a seconddimension of the fabric piece and to apply tension forces along thelength of said second dimension; G. adjustable extension meansconnecting between said first and second adjustment and tensioning meansand the respective third and fourth rails.
 2. The adjustable stretcherdevice as defined in claim 1 wherein said first adjustment andtensioning means comprises two spaced apart, elongated eye-bolts, eachhaving an inner end removably linked to said third rail and a screwthreaded outer end extending through a hole in an upwardly extendingflange of an angle-iron, fixed relative to said third edge, nut meansbeing carried on said screw threaded outer end to engage against theouter surface of said flange to adjust said third rail inwardly oroutwardly, relative to the first of said pair, upon proper manipulationof said nut.
 3. The adjustable stretcher device as defined in claim 2including elongated handle means fixed to each of said nut means.
 4. Theadjustable stretcher device as defined in claim 2 including a pluralityof spaced apart holes in said flange along the length thereof.
 5. Theadjustable stretcher device as defined in claim 2 including a pluralityof spaced apart holes in said angleiron flange.
 6. The adjustablestretcher device as defined in claim 2 including chain means removablyand adjustably connecting between each of said linked ends and saidthird rail.
 7. The adjustable stretcher device as defined in claim 2including chain means removably and adjustably connecting between eachof said linked ends and said fourth rail.
 8. The adjustable stretcherdevice as defined in claim 1 including adjustable extension meansconnecting between said first and second adjustment and tensioning meansand the respective third and fourth rails.
 9. The adjustable stretcherdevice as defined in claim 1 wherein said barbs are upwardly struck fromsaid rails.